Pittsfield Councilors Ask for Citywide Water Meter PlanBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City officials would like to see all of Pittsfield on metered water.
On Monday, the Public Works and Utilities subcommittee mulled how to best approach the endeavor. This was in response to a petition from Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey requesting a plan to offer qualifying homeowners water meters at little or no cost to them.
Councilor at Large Karen Kalinowsky has also advocated for water meters to lower costs for seniors on a fixed income. With this system, residents are charged on the volume of municipal water used in the household.
The panel will reconvene in about a month with further demographic information and possible paths forward so that they can create a citywide plan to send to the full council.
Kavey said they are taking "a step in the right direction" and Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales voiced support for the effort.
"We are one of the largest communities, if not the largest community in Massachusetts that is not fully metered," Morales said.
With about $430,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, the city is offering a limited meter program to 352 residents who receive a personal tax exemption. Some meters have already been acquired and the city has begun the bidding process for contractors.
Councilors see this as a starting point but would like an extended water meter program. Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio specified that he would also like to see it available to low to moderate-income families.
"There is going to be phases to this I think," Ward 3 Councilor Kevin Sherman said. "I think we're going to have some test and learn situations. It appears that the first attempt that was based on something already in place."
He said several factors need to be taken into consideration including the qualifying factors outside of tax assessment such as age or income, what the process will look like, and what the cost will be.
A water meter would run a person about $900 to $1,200 to purchase and have installed.
"We want to be equitable with who is going to be eligible for this and make sure that everybody's taken care of, but also we do it responsibly," Sherman said.
Morales explained that the city is now approved to commence the Integrated Water Resources Management plan that includes a study of the metering system.
"It is essentially looking at our utilities holistically," he explained. "Not just our sewer but also our water."
He later explained that this would provide a system that benefits people who consume less, for better or for worse.
Warren pointed out that he is not worried about the larger households who have a swimming pool and water their lawns to look like country club grass paying their fair share.
The subcommittee also sent a petition from Warren and Kavey requesting to determine if water meters will be required for all new residential construction or service.
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